Ed DeRosa of TwinSpires.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap each prep race leading up to the GI Kentucky Derby. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets-highest bankroll after Arkansas Derby/Lexington day wins.
DeRosa: GIII Southwest S. – Long Range Toddy was third. Bankroll: $680.
GII Fountain of Youth S. – The easy part of handicapping the Fountain of Youth was figuring out who I don't like. Neither Hidden Scroll as the favorite nor Code of Honor or Signalman as two of the public's likely alternatives interest me. The hard part was figuring out which horse to make my top selection among the remaining top contenders—Boubon War, Vekoma, or Global Campaign. I decided on Vekoma because he is the fastest of my preferred trio by virtue of his 101 Brisnet.com Speed Rating when winning the Nashua last year at Aqueduct. He's been off nearly four months since then and makes his two-turn debut upon returning, but does get Lasix for the 3-year-old bow. The presence of Hidden Scroll ensures a square price on a horse who might otherwise have been an underlaid favorite. Selection: #5 Vekoma (7-2).
Sherack: GIII Southwest S. – Jersey Agenda's race was pretty much over after the fiasco on the clubhouse turn, but man, much deserved props to DiDonato for landing on that impossible winner. Bankroll: $580.
GII Fountain of Youth S. – This race couldn't have come up any tougher, but I've really been looking forward to betting back Bourbon War since his visually impressive optional claiming win through traffic over this track and trip Jan. 18. The son of Tapit showed some talent to win first out going a one-turn mile at the Big A last fall, then probably came back a little too soon for his own good when fourth in the GII Remsen S. Would've like to have seen more out of Cutting Humor in the GIII Southwest S. (was a well-beaten second to Bourbon War last time), but Bourbon War really looks like a horse that could be peaking at the right time and should offer plenty of value to boot. Selection: #4 Bourbon War (10-1).
DiDonato: GIII Southwest S. – That was certainly one for the handicapping highlight reel, as Super Steed (+$8320) made a big turn move and held on at 62-1. Let's keep the rest of these preps nice and chalky now, please. Bankroll: $9170.
GII Fountain of Youth S. – This is a race that I think we'll know a lot coming out of, but it's hard to formulate a super strong opinion going into it as there are tons of questions to answer. I just really liked the way #4 Bourbon War sliced through horses last time. The well-bred cold seems as logical as any and his experience over the strip can't hurt. Selection: #4 Bourbon War (10-1).
Click here for Fountain of Youth Ultimate PPs from Brisnet.com.
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